And for this season, which will premier at the end of March, HBO has signaled their intention to fix some of these issues, by ensuring minimal delay between the original U.S. airing and international airings.

"We think the key to combating piracy is to make content like Game of Thrones available worldwide within the smallest window possible ... to 176 territories within the week of the U.S. premiere," explained Jeff Cusson, HBO’s senior vice president of corporate affairs.

This includes the launch of the "HBO Go" app to selected locations internationally, to allow subscribers digital streaming access to the latest episodes without delay.

The cast and crew of the hit show have recently expressed concern that the high piracy rate may impact on the available funding the show receives, but recognized that the success of the show is what is driving the piracy, and this can be interpreted as a badge of honor, of sorts.